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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. hand — in cards
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — thin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. vault — a safe
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. drill — the tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. lean — to bend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com